Joe Hasselvander

Last updated

Joe Hasselvander
Joe Hasselvander - Raven.jpg
Hasselvander performing with Raven in 2013
Background information
Born (1956-12-30) December 30, 1956 (age 67)
Origin Woodbridge, Virginia, U.S.
Genres Heavy metal, doom metal
OccupationMusician
Instrument(s)Drums, guitar, bass, vocals
Years active1966–present

Joe Hasselvander (born December 30, 1956) is an American musician. He was the drummer of heavy metal band Raven from 1987 until 2017 and was a member of the influential doom metal band Pentagram.

Contents

Career

Hasselvander has been playing professionally since nine years old in 1966. He is self-taught, playing the violin and later the drums. He regularly played the military club circuit in and around the Washington, D.C. area until 1973, when he was asked to join The Platters after playing a show with them in Waldorf, Maryland. [1] Hasselvander declined, saying he had to finish high school. He later joined a jazz fusion ensemble called the Ra Notra Sextet that was writing and performing music similar to Chick Corea or The Mahavishnu Orchestra.

Pentagram

In 1973, Hasselvander returned to the hard rock genre playing with the Washington, D.C. band The Boyz in the Washington/Baltimore area. In 1976, Hasselvander was asked to play in Mountain with Leslie West in a small club in Alexandria, Virginia.[ citation needed ] In 1977, Hasselvander joined forces with Bobby Liebling and started a new and serious working version of heavy metal doom band, Pentagram. [2] [3] Hasselvander's first single, "Living in a Ram's Head" b/w "When the Screams Come", was recorded with Hasselvander sharing the producing duties with Liebling. In 1979, Pentagram opened for Judas Priest on the Hell Bent for Leather tour and later that year Hasselvander formed Overlord with members of Pentagram and Link Wray's The Pack.

In 1981, Hasselvander once again joined forces with The Boyz to release the album Bustin' Out, followed by a Falls Church, Virginia show with Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow. Hasselvander formed Death Row with axeman Victor Griffin in 1982 and once again recruited Bobby Liebling and bassist Martin Swaney to write and record Pentagram's first LP on New York label Dutch East Records. [4]

Solo career and Raven

Hasselvander performing in 1997 Joe Hasselvander playing guitar.jpg
Hasselvander performing in 1997

Hasselvander moved to New York and recorded the albums Devil Childe [5] and Phantom Lord [6] with former Virgin Steele guitarist Jack Starr. He also recorded his first solo album, Lady-Killer. On Lady-Killer, Hasselvander performed rhythm guitar, bass, drums and vocals, while Jack Starr played the guitar solos. [7] 1985 found Hasselvander working with British blues legend, Kim Simmonds performing 2 years' worth of shows throughout the U.S. under the names Savoy Brown or The Kim Simmonds Band. Only one studio demo and one live recording exists of this line-up including players from Blue Cheer, Cactus, The Plasmatics and The Rods.

In September 1987, Hasselvander made a cameo appearance on Pentagram's second album, Day of Reckoning , filling in on the song "Burning Saviour". He soon after recorded all drum, guitar, bass and vocal tracks for his second solo album, Road Kill, issued on Bad Posture Records [8] and subsequently recorded his first demos with new wave of British heavy metal legends Raven at Bearsville Studios near Woodstock, New York.

Hasselvander joined Raven in late 1987 and recorded the album Nothing Exceeds Like Excess for Combat Records. He followed up by touring with Raven supporting Testament in the United States and Kreator in Europe in 1989. Soon after, he recorded with Christian metal band Armageddon for their first album, The Money Mask. [9] Raven switched labels and management to Drakkar Promotions and SPV/Steamhammer in Germany and recorded Architect of Fear , supporting the release by touring with Germany pirate rockers Running Wild. A video from this tour was made into an on-the-road "rock-umentary" entitled Electro Shock Therapy, which featured very revealing moments with Mr. Hasselvander in his natural habitat. The video was released in tandem with the EP Heads Up! featuring outtakes from Architect of Fear and live songs from the tour. A tour with German band Risk followed in 1992.

Pentagram reunion

In 1993, Hasselvander was asked to play on a reunion album for Pentagram called Be Forewarned for London-based Peaceville Records, after re-recording the drums for Day of Reckoning to be released on CD. [2] Soon after, Hasselvander and Victor Griffin were asked to fill in on guitar and drums for British doom band Cathedral who were supporting Black Sabbath on a spring 1994 tour of Europe for their Cross Purposes album. [2] Hasselvander returned to record Raven's 7th album, Glow , on the Japanese label Zero Corporation; the album was released in 1995. Hasselvander traveled to Los Angeles to take part in the Foundations Forum with Raven. Raven then went to Tokyo to record a live album, Destroy All Monsters/Live in Japan , and to record a Japanese MTV concert video. In 1996, Hasselvander recorded Everything Louder with Raven at Pete Evick's studio. The band flew to Europe once again to headline a tour for this album with support acts, Tank and HammerFall.

In 1997, Hasselvander and Bobby Liebling were signed to the Italian label Black Widow, and Review Your Choices was recorded with Hasselvander playing the drums, guitar and bass and Bobby doing vocals. In the summer of 1999, Raven traveled to Nashville, Tennessee to record One for All with producer Michael Wagener. A tour in January 2000 with U.D.O. followed in Germany and later that spring in the USA. Hasselvander re-signed with Black Widow to record the Pentagram album Sub-Basement , which was released to rave reviews [3] [10] in 2001.

Hasselvander played many one-off shows with Raven in 2003 with Mark Gallagher sporting a leg cast from an injury sustained in a near death work accident in 2002. In 2003, Hasselvander went to Florida with Jack Starr to record the album Under a Savage Sky under the banner of Jack Starr's Guardians of the Flame, featuring the vocals of Schmolik Avigal (ex-Picture, The Rods). Joe Hasselvander was the producer on this album. [11]

In 2004, Hasselvander was asked to play two concerts in New Hampshire with his childhood idols, Blue Cheer. The shows went well and they got along famously. So much so that an album was recorded with Hasselvander on the drums, What Doesn't Kill You... . 2005 came and Hasselvander played the colossal German rock festivals Keep It True and Bang Your Head!!! with Raven, alongside the likes of Whitesnake and Foreigner. Bang Your Head!!! and Keep It True performances were filmed and released on DVD in 2006. Raven played more one off festivals during 2006 and 2007. One such gig was marred by an appearance of British rock vocalist Tony Mills, who rushed the stage and declared that he had a contract with the Gallaghers to become the next lead singer of Raven. Mills was beaten by the musicians on stage, much to the delight of a cheering crowd.

Hasselvander soon released his third solo album, The Hounds of Hasselvander, on German heavy metal label Rock Saviour Records, this time performing everything on the album. In November 2007, he went to England to play in the Hard Rock Hell festival at the Butlins resort in Minehead. The review by Geoff Barton simply states that "Raven took over the show from the likes of Twisted Sister, Saxon and UFO".[ citation needed ] This was all followed up by a few choice dates in the Netherlands and Belgium.

Hasselvander played out with a working version of his solo band, The Hounds of Hasselvander, on a tour of the East Coast of the US. He worked on a brand new line up for the Hounds of Hasselvander to tour Europe and Canada in the early spring of 2009. In 2008, Hasselvander concentrated on upcoming Raven shows in California with friends Hirax, in New York at the legendary club L'amour, and again back to England in September for a Raven mini-tour. [12]

In June 2009, Hasselvander and Raven performed two nights in Japan in support of the band's new album Walk Through Fire (2009, King Records).

Equipment

Ludwig double kit includes: 2 x 26″ kick drums, 8″ snare 10″, 12″, 14″, 16″, 18″ tom toms, assorted Zildjian cymbals, Remo heads, and Ahead drumsticks. For composition and other recordings, Hasselvander uses a Gibson SG guitar and a Gibson EB-3 bass. [13]

Album discography

Studio albums

Solo / The Hounds of Hasselvander

With Raven

With Pentagram

Other

EPs

Solo / The Hounds of Hasselvander

With Raven

With Pentagram

Live albums

With Raven

With Pentagram

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reverend Bizarre</span> Finnish doom metal band

Reverend Bizarre was a doom metal band from Finland. Formed in 1995, they played slow and heavy traditional doom with dramatic vocals, following in the footsteps of bands such as Saint Vitus, Pentagram and Black Sabbath. The band was one of the biggest names in 2000s traditional doom metal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mezarkabul</span> Turkish metal band

Mezarkabul is a Turkish metal band formed by Hakan Utangaç and Cenk Ünnü. Mezarkabul is known for integrating Anatolian elements into their music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jesper Strömblad</span> Swedish guitarist (born 1972)

Clas Håkan Jesper Strömblad is a Swedish musician who is the guitarist of the bands The Halo Effect, Dimension Zero and Cyhra, and formerly of In Flames and The Resistance. He is best known as the founder and former guitarist/drummer/keyboardist of the pioneering melodic death metal band In Flames, guitarist of the band Sinergy, bassist of Ceremonial Oath and drummer of HammerFall. In 2013, he joined Nightrage as a session guitarist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raven (British band)</span> English heavy metal band

Raven are an English heavy metal band, formed in 1974 by the Gallagher brothers, bassist and vocalist John and guitarist Mark. They have released fifteen studio albums to date, and had a hit with the single "On and On". Often referred to as "athletic rock", the band gained notoriety as part of the early-to-mid 1980s new wave of British heavy metal (NWOBHM) scene and is considered to be an influence and inspiration on the development of the thrash metal genre, including "the big four", as well as other bands such as Testament, Exodus, Overkill, Kreator, Destruction, Sodom, Onslaught, Death Angel, Flotsam and Jetsam, Coroner, Annihilator, and Razor. Raven are also notable for headlining Metallica's first-ever national tour in 1983.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pentagram (band)</span> American heavy metal band

Pentagram is an American heavy metal band from Alexandria, Virginia, noted as one of the pioneers of heavy metal, and the sub-genre of doom metal in particular. As such, they are considered one of the "big four of doom metal," alongside Candlemass, Saint Vitus, and Trouble.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chastain (band)</span> American heavy metal band

Chastain is an American heavy metal music band, formed in 1984 by guitarist David T. Chastain and signed by Shrapnel Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Witchcraft (band)</span> Swedish doom metal band

Witchcraft is a Swedish doom metal band founded in 2000.

<i>Relentless</i> (Pentagram album) 1985 studio album by Pentagram

Relentless is the debut studio album by American doom metal band Pentagram. It was self-released in 1985 as Pentagram, but was reissued by Peaceville Records in 1993 with the new title and reordered track listing. It was also issued as a two-disc split CD with Day of Reckoning in 1996 and then re-released again in 2005 as a digipak CD. The album is now commonly known as Relentless.

<i>Day of Reckoning</i> (Pentagram album) 1987 studio album by Pentagram

Day of Reckoning is the second studio album by American doom metal band Pentagram. It was released in 1987 by Napalm Records. It was re-released by Peaceville Records in 1993, and in 1996 as part of a two-disc split CD with Relentless, and then again in 2005 as a digipak CD. Joe Hasselvander originally played drums on only one track, "Burning Savior", with Stuart Rose recording the drums on all the rest. Hasselvander re-recorded drums on all tracks for the 1993 Peaceville Records reissue. The original mixes with Rose on drums only appear on the Napalm Records vinyl version and an original cassette edition made in Canada, and have never appeared on CD.

<i>Be Forewarned</i> 1994 studio album by Pentagram

Be Forewarned is the third studio album by American doom metal band Pentagram. It was released in 1994 by Peaceville Records. It was re-released in 2005 as a digipak CD and in 2010 as a double vinyl LP by Svart Records.

<i>Review Your Choices</i> 1999 studio album by Pentagram

Review Your Choices is the fourth album by American doom metal band Pentagram. It was released in 1999 by Italian label Black Widow Records. Joe Hasselvander played all the instruments, while Bobby Liebling provided all lead and backing vocals. The spine reads "Twelve new Skeletons for your Closet of Dementia".

<i>Turn to Stone</i> (album) 2002 compilation album by Pentagram

Turn to Stone is a compilation album by American doom metal band Pentagram, comprising songs from their first three albums. It was released by Peaceville Records in 2002.

<i>A Keg Full of Dynamite</i> 2003 live album by Pentagram

A Keg Full of Dynamite is a live album by American doom metal band Pentagram, released by Black Widow Records in 2003. It was recorded at The Keg in 1978. Vocalist Bobby Liebling stated that this was the "first authorized representation of Pentagram during what has come to be known as the High Voltage Era". The final two tracks, "When the Screams Come" and "Livin' in a Ram's Head," were taken from the original test pressing 7" issued on High Voltage Records in 1979.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Starr</span> American guitarist

Jack Starr is an American heavy metal and blues guitarist and songwriter, born of a French mother and American father.

<i>The Pack Is Back</i> 1986 studio album by Raven

The Pack Is Back is the fifth full-length album by the English heavy metal band Raven, released in 1986. It was recorded in the US with renowned producer Eddie Kramer and features a sound more FM-friendly and commercial than any other Raven album, retaining the glam metal vein from its predecessor Stay Hard. Despite the pressure of the label to produce a commercially successful album, The Pack Is Back did not have any relevant chart entry.

Oracles is a Belgian melodic death metal band formed by the couple Sven de Caluwé and Miri Milman and featuring members from Israel, Netherlands, Greece and the US. On 13 March 2014, the band had announced an indefinite hiatus and disbanded after a messy divorce between Sven and Miri, but reformed in December 2014 as Oracles, with Sanna Salou, from Dimlight, on vocals. In 2020, Miri Milman reformed System Divide, and released a new single.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iron Mask (band)</span> Belgian power metal band

Iron Mask is a power metal band formed in 2002 by Belgian guitarist Dushan Petrossi, also known from Magic Kingdom.

Falcon is a California heavy metal band formed in 2002 by guitarist/vocalist Perry Grayson. Though active in the 2000s, Falcon's sound is throwback to the late 1960s and early 1970s, and they take their cue from luminaries like Blue Cheer, Black Sabbath, Trapeze, Budgie, Thin Lizzy, Pentagram, Mountain, Free, Bang, Captain Beyond and Buffalo.

<i>Everything Louder</i> 1997 studio album by Raven

Everything Louder is the tenth studio album by the English heavy metal band Raven, released in 1997.

Armageddon USA, commonly known as Armageddon, is a Christian thrash metal band that originated in Falls Church, Virginia.

References

  1. "Interview Joe Hasselvander". Comemyfanatics.altervista.org. July 28, 2010. Archived from the original on July 28, 2014. Retrieved July 28, 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 "Pentagram". Tartarean Desire Webzine. Retrieved March 27, 2011.
  3. 1 2 "Pentagram". The Bnr Metal Pages. July 30, 2006. Retrieved March 27, 2011.
  4. "Death Row". Encyclopaedia Metallum . Retrieved March 27, 2011.
  5. "Devil Childe". Encyclopaedia Metallum . Retrieved March 27, 2011.
  6. "Phantom Lord (USA) - Phantom Lord". Encyclopaedia Metallum . Retrieved March 27, 2011.
  7. "Joe Hasselvander - Lady Killer". Encyclopaedia Metallum . Retrieved March 27, 2011.
  8. "Joe Hasselvander - Road Kill". Encyclopaedia Metallum . Retrieved March 27, 2011.
  9. "Armageddon (USA) - The Money Mask". Encyclopaedia Metallum . Retrieved March 27, 2011.
  10. Cope, Julian (August 2006). "Pentagram - Sub-basement". Julian Cope's Album of the Month. Julian Cope Presents Head Heritage. Retrieved March 27, 2011.
  11. "Guardians of the Flame - Under a Savage Sky". Encyclopaedia Metallum . Retrieved March 27, 2011.
  12. "Raven tours". Tartarean Desire Webzine. Retrieved March 27, 2011.
  13. "Raven Band". Raven Official Website. Archived from the original on April 8, 2011. Retrieved March 27, 2011.
  14. "Black Manta". Encyclopaedia Metallum . Retrieved March 27, 2011.